Module 6 Reflection assignment

One of the important things I was exposed to in this class was the use of rubrics to evaluate online courses. I have seen evaluation tools before, but most were simply a checkbox-type indicating whether or not the component was included, with no real way to evaluate how effective the given tools were.

I do not teach any more, but as a professional course designer, I would like to look into becoming certified in the Quality Matters rubric. The place where I work uses a rubric that is a blend of multiple existing rubrics, that is used to score classes based on the features included in the course. However, the QM rubric is a recognized standard that goes into more detail about the expected contents of an online course, with the option to give partial credit for different points rather than an all-or-nothing approach for each element. Even if we never officially adopt the QM rubric, becoming certified will give me a deeper understanding of the process and why each element was included, and it could be useful in the future.

This course also reinforced the concepts that active learning and the use of media are important tools for any course--online or otherwise--and I hope to be able to incorporate some of this type of content into the courses that I develop in the future. However, I also worry about the possibility of relying too much on technology as an instructional tool, especially for adult learners. I have taught university-level classes for almost 25 years, and I have seen the use of and access to technology change drastically since I first started in 1985. While technology does allow greater access to information and a wider array of communication tools, it could also distract from the fact that learning is a student-centered activity. At some point, students have to be able to produce information on their own, and technology could become a crutch that prevents them from thinking on their own and creating their own content for life.

As education moves into a technology-based area, we need to gain a better understanding of how how students learn through technology,as well as what hindrances may exist.